When it comes to crop treatments this spring, you may be thinking about what products to use that will not only get rid of those weeds and pests, but also maximize nutrients and enhance your crops.
Corteva Agriscience has several natural solutions that they offer called Biologicals.
“These are crop treatments that are not synthetically modified biological. Biologicals are derived from naturally occurring materials,” says Mike Koenigs, Market Development Specialist with Corteva Agriscience.
There are different categories of biological products available through Corteva Agriscience:
- Biostimulants are products that help mitigate stress within a crop.
- Biocontrols help control a pest within a crop.
- Pheromones manage certain targeted insects.
- Biofertilizers help manage crop nutrients and help those nutrients become more readily available to that crop.
Koenigs says one of the biologicals available is a biostimulant product called Utrisha™ N Nutrient Efficiency Optimizer. This biological product naturally improves plant vitality for a healthy harvest by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere and converting it to ammonium. It’s a sustainable solution that supplies nitrogen throughout the crop cycle in an effective and controlled way.
Another biological product is called Hearken™, which is a biological insecticide targeting corn earworm. Used as a foliar application, Hearken is safe for beneficial and non-target organisms and complements traditional chemistries to easily fit within integrated pest management programs.
Koenigs says biologicals aren’t a replacement for other crop protection solutions, but simply another “tool in your toolbox” to get the most of your crops.
“It also can sometimes add another mode of action for that pest which that’s a problem a lot of growers have. Some of the modes of action they’re currently using to manage a pest, maybe there’s a resistance. Maybe it’s not as effective as it once was,” says Koenigs. “[Biological products] are just going to make some of those [crop protection] tools better and hopefully we get more sustainability and longevity.
Koenigs says he understands how some Hoosier farmers may be skeptical in using biologicals as part of their crop protection plan.
“What I would encourage [Hoosier farmers] to do is to do some research and talk to your trusted advisor on which of these products will bring value to your farm.”
Click HERE to read more about the different biological products carried by Corteva Agriscience.
Click BELOW to hear the full interview with Mike Koenigs, Market Development Specialist with Corteva Agriscience, as he discusses biological products and what they have to offer Hoosier farmers.
Source: Corteva Agriscience.
